Deadly Hallows [Complete]

Chapter 28: Just a Feeling

I forced those thoughts from my head as I tried to focus on anything else, even the rumors that were spreading like a brush fire around us. Once again someone pointed to the bandage on my wrist, and it started to itch again. My mom said that meant it was healing, but it didn't make it any better that I'd have a reminder of what transpired. While the arrow that had been neatly cut into my arm was now scabbed over, it was still prominent. The cuts had been so deep that the scar would forever be a reminder of what had happened. I didn't want that, but for now I kept it wrapped in gauze so that I couldn't see it. Maybe one day I could get a tattoo to cover it up, but for now I'll have to just keep it hidden from myself so that I wouldn't be forced to relive the emotional and physical pain I had gone through when I received it.

The only thing that made the experience livable was that Mr. Miller was now in prison for murder, and attempted murder for his confession on the cliff. While my mom had gotten some backlash from the confession Mr. Miller had given, it wasn't as bad as I thought. She had supposedly taken the blame for it, but I wasn't so sure I could trust her word after what I had just gone through. I would never know if she was telling the truth, or just keeping a very shocking piece of information to herself. It would take time, but we would see if I could learn to trust her again.

Mason said his parents had worked out their issues with the infidelity, but my parents were still trying to figure out what to do. They didn't want to split up and put John and I in the middle, but I thought that's what was best. I wouldn't be able to move past the lies and deception that my mom had created. Frankly, I only saw it ending in divorce, especially since my dad hadn't come back home except to be with me in the hospital. He was taking a commute between the new place he had gotten for himself to see me, but other than that he didn't stay with us.

I sighed heavily at the thought as we exited the building. The sun was glaring down on us, pushing away the dark clouds that had been covering our small town in rain since yesterday morning. I looked around to see if my dad had come to pick me up, but only took notice of the faces of my fellow classmates as they watched me like a hawk. The weight of their stares made me feel uncomfortable, but I knew that it wouldn't last for long. I was the newest hot gossip, eventually they would move on to something else though I couldn't see anything topping a solved murder case, a Math teacher killing students, and Mason's father and my mother's affair. Maybe one day, but I would always have the reputation as the girl who had survived a psychotic, revenge driven, math teacher. I smiled softly. At least I had survived. For now I just had to stick through the rough patches that came after the attack. At least I had Mason by my side.

Even after hearing what happened to me, Mindy hadn't come to make sure that I was all right. Even though I had been the one to end our friendship, it hurt because if the roles were reversed then I wouldn't have hesitated to make sure that she was okay. It just showed me what kind of friend she really was, and made me all the happier that I had ended it when I did. Though I couldn't stop myself from looking for her, and hope she would at least check on me.

I glanced at each of my peers, and the respective faculty as they shuffled the kids out of school for the day and either toward home or after school activities. Everyone seemed to have a livelier spring in their step now that the sun had come out. The entire day they had been sluggish, and depressed from the events that had occurred. I had heard the shock of everyone around us as they came to offer me their sympathies. I kept my mouth shut on where they could put their sympathies. They didn't do me any good and they all did it to keep face in the town. They were shallow, and demeaning to a survivor, and even worse to Mason. He had been bombarded with questions, followed, pursued, and eventually a reporter broke into their house. He took a bat to the guy, and the cameraman thinking they were intruders; he hadn't been sleeping well either. I think he was just too worried about me.

For now it seemed as if we both were starting to move on. The first step was always acceptance and everything from that was still an uphill battle, but it became smoother as we worked together. Eventually our town would heal, and we'd learn from the experience. We may be a little more leery of outsiders joining our town, but a little caution never hurt anyone. Paranoia kept most people alive, especially when being chased down as the next victim in a murder. If I hadn't been paranoid when this had all started, then I would most likely be dead now.

Though as I looked at those around me, who had already began to heal, I knew it was a farce. I glanced down at my bandaged wrist while Mason and I walked toward home. He was making sure I got home safely now, even though the threat had been eliminated already. I knew he was doing it to keep me safe, but the longer I looked at my bandage, and knew what was hidden underneath, I knew I wasn't safe.

Everyone around us was probably thinking, I'm glad it's finally over, but I felt as if it would never truly be over, and I sensed that Mason felt the same way. There would be constant reminders, such as my scar and the memories of what I had lived through, and there would be stories written about this for years to come, whether they were in the papers or even used in books. Hell, maybe we'd even get our own movie. I let out a breath of laughter at the thought. Maybe then they could figure out what was really going on in our sleepy little town, because the more I thought it over, the more uncomfortable I felt. I had an ominous feeling that there was still more to come, and that once again I would be in the center of it, fighting for the truth and maybe even for my life.